Transcript for Woman Accused of Enlisting Brother, Adopted Son for Murder

With thanksgiving around the corner, family dysfunction is on many of our minds. But in one courtroom today it is at a different level entirely. A mother of five accused of enlisting two hitmen to try to kill her husband. But this pernicious pair, not exactly pros. No, they were family. You could call it an inside job. Why they allegedly plotted to kill him and huh thow they got caught after he survived is the stuff movies are made of, part of our series "crime & punishment". Robert bessey the worst kind of witness on trial for attempted murder the alleged victim and heap its alive. I felt a hot sensation here. And toward the back of my neck. Reporter: Bessey testified in the trial of ex-wife amy, now accused of recruit herring own brother and son to kill robert weeks before their divorce was final. And weeks before she might no longer be eligible to collect on his $250,000 life insurance policy. The only thing they didn't plan for was for robert to survive. Which he did. Reporter: Prosecutors say it started when the bessey's marriage of 18 years fell apart in las vegas, nevada. Robert was driving to his job at 4:35 in the morning when he heard a loud sound and felt a distinct pain in his neck. I'm on the highway. Reporter: In court his 911 call was played for jurors. I don't know if I have been shot. I am bleeding like hell. Is it fair to say robert bessey is lucky to be alive. Bessey remembered being chased by a gold suv which then pulled alongside his car. What led the police to amy's son and brother, following of on a tip. Police found security coverage of a gold suv, stopped at this gas station convenience store not far from the scene of the shooting just an hour before bessey was shot. On that video, amy any brother richard pearson, an ex-con, and her son michael, can be seen making a purchase. Did you have any idea that michael and rick had been out to that chevron? No. I didn't. Reporter: In an audio recording played in court, amy bessey appeared surprised when police told her her husband had been shot and survived. But prosecutors say she wasn't actually surprised at all. She had already told a friend that her brother was response bum. How do we know that is a surprise -- remember prior to that interview, before she had ever been told by the investigators, that her husband had been shot, she already told julie that her son michael was in know se-- innocent and her brother rick was guilty. Reporter: What lead people to believe they will get away with it. How amateur they are. They watched television. They think they can be one step beyond law enforcement. They don't think down the road. They're only thinking about the goal. And the goal is the insurance money. Reporter: Robert bessey testified that he moved out after her son michael from a previous marriage, who he had adopted, made their married life difficult. Michael bessey. Reporter: Maybe the most damning piece of physical evidence was a text message the defendant's brother allegedly sent to his sister. I love it when a client comes together. Seems in a lot of cases they la look to a degenerate relative, hey you have been in prison. Can you help. They go to somebody who bumbles it. They talk to people they text. They send e-mails. Caught in a cell phone conversation. And so, it is almost like hansel and get. They leave crumbs from the crime scene to themselves. Reporter: Courtney smith, former friend of amy bessey testified that amy had tried something else first. Asking her to kill robert bessey. She made the comment he was worth more dead than alive. Of after the shooting, amy blamed her brother for botching the job. She said if her tweaker brother had not stopped to get an energy drink they would have never gotten caught. Reporter: If convicted bessey could face up to 91 years behind bars. All three family members pleaded not guilty to attempted murder.

This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.

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